


Tartarus

by orphan_account



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Angst, Dark, Homophobia, PTSD, Panic Attacks, Read at Your Own Risk, Sporadic Updates, Tartaraus, Trigger Warnings, almost major character death, nico shares his story, not even a happy ending, post HOO, really sad tho guys, self wothlessnesz
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 11:00:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24349909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Nico finally shares his experience in Tartarus
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Bianca di Angelo & Nico di Angelo
Kudos: 17





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Salve, mio cari!  
> I, Blue Assassin, have finally managed to convince my brother, Nico di Angelo, to share with all you demigods his story about his trip through Tartarus. We both hope this will prevent anyone from having to go through the same things as he did. Please be respectful, as this is a hard enough topic to cover by itself, and bear in mind, Nico may have to take longer breaks in between parts to make sure his mental health is intact after sharing.

I don't like talking abou this, let's make that clear right now. The only reason you are hearing this is because there are things in this story that every half-blood needs to understand. That being said, I don't want this to ben seen by just anyone. If you can undersand this and you are really reading it, you can see through the mist and, I'm sorry, but you're a demigod. If not, this is probably just some random fanfiction and you don't have to worry.

I'm warning you though, the story I'm about to tell you was one of the most indescribably terrible things I've ever been through, and I've been through a lot. So terrible that words themselves cannot fully do it justice. Of course, I wouldn't blame you for leaving now. I would have done the same if I could have. If you want to leave go ahead. Forget you saw this, and go back to whatever normal is for you, becaue I don't want you here if it's too much to take.

Still here?

Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Salve!  
> I don't think there's anything in this chapter that I need to warn against but just...read with caution, okay? Just in case.

I called Tartarus indescribably terrible before? Yeah. That was an understatement. The moment I stepped over the border between Asphodel and Tartarus, it was different. Hundreds of stairs lay beforr me, plunging down into inky blackness to which there seemed no end. I gripped the hit of my sword and started down, shivering from the cold. Farther and farther down I went, a strange breeze ruffling my hair and turning my breath into fog. I don't know how long I walked but, eventually, and after what seemed like hours, the air started to grow warmer and the tunnel seemd to brighten a fraction. Then came the voices.

It started out faint, mere whispers in the wind, indescernable and easy to ignore. Slowly the voices grew louder, until I could first make out my name, then snippets of words and phrases, then whole sentences.

Come...

Join us, Nico di Angelo...

Join the others, the lost, the forgotten...like you...

I tried to shut them out, to ignore them. I had a job to do, and they were distracting me. I could not afford to be distracted right now.

Come, join us...

No one will notice...

No one even cares...

'Go away!' I thought, shoving the voices from my mind. The air was getting warmer, and humid and I took my jacket to tie it around my waist as the voices assaulted me once more.

'Give in...' they coaxed 'There is no place for you.'

I stumbld to a halt. Did I have a place? All my life, had been running, hiding from mysef and others. I didn't belong, not really.

'Yes,' the voice encouraged 'come to us. We are where you truly belong.

Where I truly belonged? Could I, Nico di Angelo, really ever belong? Was that possible?

Almost of their own accord, my legs started moving, giving in to the beckoning calls. I don't remember were I went, but, at some point, I slipped, crashing to the floor an snapping out of my trance. 

I shook my head to clear it. The voices tried to pull me back with their flattering words and persuasion, but I snarled, standing up and shutting them out. 

"Get out!" I yelled, "Get out my head!"

And I ran.

I ran down the stairs, tripping an stumbling, but I didn't care. I had to get put of here. I had to. 

Suddenly, there was light ahead, blinding and red as blood, at the end of the tunnel. I dashed toward it, knowing full well what it lead to, but ground to a halt before I could fully emerge.

"Gods." I breathed as I scanned tbe expanse before me.

Descriptions of Trtarus, I realized, had been grossly underemphasized. Imagine a world seeped of life and happiness, designed to make Asphodel look like a children's playground. Imagine seeing all your worst fears, physical and emotional, come to life in that world. Now multiply that by 10,000 and you still wouldn't be even remotely close to imagining Tartarus.

To my right, flowed the inky blackness of the River Cocytus, the river of misery, its obsidian banks coveed in shards of glass. Pain pricked my palms, and I realized that there were peices imbedded there. I took a breath, but it felt like I was inhaling nails and I choked, doubling over.

The air was acid, the water was msery, and the ground was pain. Everything here was designed to hurt and kill. To deliberately caue suffering to those imprisoned here. I tried to draw another breath, but it was even more painful than the last and I realized maybe the voices had been right. Maybe I should have gone with them. Was closing the Doors of Death really so important? 

I began to turn back, to go to the welcoming voices, but a different voice in my head stopped me.

'No,' it said, 'Keep moving. You have to do this. For him.'

Groaing, I got back to my feet and turned around, stumbling foward. I searched desperately for something, anything that could help me becase, if not, son of Hades or no, I would be dead in a few hours.

My vision blurred, going in an out of focus. Th gashes in my palms bled, an each breath I took was agony, but I kept moving. I forced myself to take step after exhausting step because I knew I couldn't stop. Just before I could collapse, I saw it. The red river of fire. The Phlethegon.

Skidding and sliding over he slick glass around me, I ran to the river's edge and threw myself down into its banks. Without giving myself time to second guess, I cupped the healing fire in my hands, hissing as it stung the raw cuts, and poured it into my mouth. Immediately, fire filled my being, burning a path down to my stomch and making my eyes water with boiling tears. I gagged and retched, curling into myself in pain as I trembled violetly.

When the convulstions finally stopped, and I regained control of my body, I sat up, taking a ragged breath. It hd been painful, but the fire had done its job. It was still boiling hot and miserable, and my hair and shirt were plastered to my skin from sweat, but I slowly began to feel better. Not good, mind you, but my breaths started to come easier, an he gashes on my palms and knees slowly started to fade.

I heaved myself up and looked around. Squinting against the red, hazzy sky, I took in my surrounding and weighed my options. Option one, I could follow the Phlethegon dowriver hope it took me to the Doors and not Asphodel. Option two, I could leave the river and wander on my own until I found them. Option three, I could lie here on the banks and succumb to the enticing nothingness of death.

As tempting as the third option was, I had a job to do, so that was out. Option two had flaws as well. It would take way too long to find the Doors just by wandering, and I needed the Phlethegon to survive. So, my best bet was option one. Follow the river and let it lead me farther and farther into hell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo, yeah. That chapter was a bit hard on Nico (what with it being the first chapter of the first time he's ever told this story), so he's taking some time to calm down. Don't worry, Will's there to help :). We'll be back soon, aight?
> 
> Ciao, ventosa!


End file.
